


Behind the Glitter

by writemydreams



Series: To Love a Vampire [12]
Category: D (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, Friends to Lovers, Gen, I'm not a skater, M/M, Sports inaccuracy, alternate universe - figure skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-07 09:25:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11056089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writemydreams/pseuds/writemydreams
Summary: At seventeen, Hide-Zou gets a job at the skating rink so he can save money to buy a new guitar. While working he meets and befriends Yokohama's skating darling: fifteen-year-old Tsunehito who has Olympic potential. They have to overcome some hurdles to stay in each other's lives and two years later, Hide-Zou finds himself falling for Tsunehito.





	1. A Fragile Bond

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2014 after falling in love with ice skating from the Sochi Winter Olympics and then getting into Thorki skating AUs.

  
**Title:** Behind the Glitter - Chapter 1: A Fragile Bond

  
**Author:** [](http://write-my-dreams.livejournal.com/profile)[**write_my_dreams**](http://write-my-dreams.livejournal.com/)  


  
**Pairing:** eventual Hide-Zou x Tsunehito

  
**Genre:** AU, figure skating, some drama

  
**Warning:** I bent reality a bit with some of the sporting events mentioned. I am by no means a figure skater.

  
**Disclaimer:** Hide-Zou and Tsunehito do not belong to me. I used details from their lives to make the characters but this is a work of fiction. The storyline and the writing belong to me.

  
**Rating:** PG

  
**Chapters:** 1/3(?)

  
**Summary:** At seventeen, Hide-Zou gets a job at the skating rink so he can save money to buy a new guitar. While working he meets and befriends Yokohama's skating darling: fifteen-year-old Tsunehito who has Olympic potential. They have to overcome some hurdles to stay in each other's lives and two years later, Hide-Zou finds himself falling for Tsunehito.

  
**Author's Comment:** Thanks to the Thorki skating AU on tumblr and my general interest in figure skating, this fic was born. It is a part of the vampire series even though there are no vampires in this particular series. Because I wrote Asagi's memory arc, I decided to include some of Tsunehito's important memories because it does affect his character when he's an adult.

Today marked Hide-Zou’s one month anniversary of working at the ice rink. The job wasn’t too bad even though it wasn’t the one he had his heart set on. He wanted to work at his favorite guitar store. Still, better the ice rink than McDonalds. And the job at least paid well. Soon enough, he’d be able to buy the guitar he’d coveted for the last few months. Then after he’d shaken off the shackles of school, he and his band could do better. They just needed better quality instruments first. Couldn’t play great music with shitty guitars after all.

Realizing he was drumming a tune on his mop, Hide-Zou resumed cleaning the stadium stands. His boss was a nice guy who quickly became not so nice when he caught his employees slacking. Hide-Zou continued to clean his assigned section of the stands. He raised his head as he heard blades on the ice. He raised his head then squinted at the lone figure on the ice. Oh, Tsunehito. Hide-Zou was no expert on figure skating, but recognizing this skater was easy. Fifteen-year-old Tsunehito, born and raised in Yokohama, had recently qualified for Japan’s Youth Olympics team. He was also determined to compete in the next winter Olympics. Hide-Zou liked to watch him practice since Tsunehito was extremely talented. He was so graceful as he glided across the ice. And he was very attractive. No wonder, Hide-Zou had seen Tsunehito’s parents (who were former Olympic figure skaters) at the rink before. His mother looked like she could be a model.

Catching himself, Hide-Zou quickly concentrated on the stands. Just in case his boss was looking. If he glanced up every so often to watch Tsunehito practice, it wasn’t his fault. The skater was too fascinating to ignore. His jumps and spins looked so effortless. Hide-Zou grimaced at the occasional display of flexibility. Oh, just imagining doing that was painful. Tsunehito bent over his extended leg as he spun on one thin blade or holding his foot up and spinning on the other. He made his entire routine look as easy as walking. Surely he would be able to win a medal at the Youth Olympics. Even though they’d never spoken, Hide-Zou wanted Tsunehito to succeed. He sensed that failure might break the little skater. He looked so heartbreakingly fragile sometimes. As if one blow—one loss—would shatter him into a thousand pieces.

_Stop thinking about him._ What did Hide-Zou know about Tsunehito anyway? It wasn’t as if they would ever communicate. Olympic skaters didn’t talk to regular workers.

*   *   *

The opportunity came sooner than Hide-Zou would ever have expected. He was cleaning the mirrors in the locker room (wondering when he’d get switched to registry duty) when Tsunehito entered. He’d trained in casual clothes instead of a flashy costume. He looked so different in socks and training clothes with his skates tucked under his arm. Hide-Zou turned back to the mirror to resume doing his job. He blinked at his reflection upon seeing that Tsunehito was watching him.

“You watched me skate.”

“Huh?” Hide-Zou turned from the now-spotless mirror. “Oh, yeah. I like watching the skaters when I’m on break. Especially you.” He gave Tsunehito an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. That sounded creepy. Really creepy. “I’d tell you that you skate beautifully, but you already know that.”

Tsunehito laughed softly. “I do, but I appreciate the compliment. Thank you.” He smoothed his sweat-slicked hair back then tilted his head. “I’ve noticed that you usually watch me when I’m practicing. Why?”

Hide-Zou hadn’t expected that. “Why not?” he set his cleaning bottle on the sink. “I like the way you skate since you make it look so easy. It’s interesting to watch you. Also, you’re from Yokohama like me so I guess that’s another reason. Mostly though, it’s because you’re so talented and I feel like you’ll do great things. Plus you’re cute.” The last part slipped out. Hide-Zou blushed then hid a grin behind his hand at the startled look on Tsunehito’s face. Clearly he hadn’t expected that.

The skater flushed then gave him a shy smile. “I… thank you. I guess I should let you get back to work now.”

“Sadly, not all of us have a glamorous life.” Hide-Zou wrinkled his nose as he resumed cleaning. He was seriously sick of cleaning up the rink and locker rooms. Tidying his room or assisting his mom with the cleaning was bad enough. Now he was required to clean to stay employed. It sucked. _Think of the guitar,_ he reminded himself. His boss had at least mentioned putting him on registry duty soon. Then he’d just be taking people’s money for free skate or selling food at games. So much better than cleaning.

Tsunehito’s answering sigh startled him. “Once you peel away the glitter you’ll see that a figure skater’s life isn’t as glamorous as it looks.”

Hide-Zou turned to ask Tsunehito more. Too late; Tsunehito was already walking away. He frowned then returned to his job. Tsunehito had been born and raised in the skating industry. He would know better than anyone that it wasn’t as glorious as it seemed.

After that initial conversation, Tsunehito became more aware of Hide-Zou’s presence. They were often at the rink at the same time so if Tsunehito saw him when he wasn’t practicing, he would come over to chat. The conversations never lasted long since Hide-Zou was working and Tsunehito either had to get on the ice or had somewhere to be. But it was something, and Hide-Zou started looking forward to those few minutes. They were starting to learn more about each other. Compared to Tsunehito, Hide-Zou felt like his life was deadly dull.

Despite their frequent chats, it took about two weeks for them to get closer. A helping factor was Hide-Zou having to miss two days of work because he had the flu. His mom wanted him to take a third day off, but he’d complained about too many reductions from his paycheck. So she relented and let him go. Hide-Zou was determined to get his guitar and would work as much as he needed in order to buy it.

His boss had, fortunately, put him on registry duty today. So Hide-Zou got to stand or sit behind the desk and take people’s money. He was sitting down when a familiar figure stepped into the room.

“Hey, where have you been?” Tsunehito asked.

“Had the flu.”

Tsunehito wrinkled his nose in sympathy. “No wonder you look so pale.”

Hide-Zou smiled playfully. “Maybe I’m just trying to maintain my delicate complexion.” He wasn’t, but he wanted to see Tsunehito’s reaction to that.

That made the skater laugh. “Yeah, sure.” He set his skating bag down. He wore one of his usual training outfits of leggings and a t-shirt, although the t-shirt’s pattern of guitars caught Hide-Zou’s attention.

“Nice shirt.”

Tsunehito glanced down. “Thanks.”

“I started working here so I could buy a new guitar,” Hide-Zou blurted. Why was he saying this? “I want to be a musician. For that though, I need a high-quality guitar. Probably a better band too.” No offense to his bandmates. They just didn’t share his ambitions.

“You can play the guitar?”

Hide-Zou nodded. “I’ve been playing since I was eleven. So six years now. I try to practice daily.”

“Good luck with your band. I can play bass a little. I don’t have the time to improve my playing since I’m so busy with skating though.”

They talked about music until Tsunehito said he had to get on the ice. He paid Hide-Zou for the rink rental then turned to go. Hide-Zou sighed softly as he watched the skater head towards the door. It was easy to tell that Tsunehito was lonely. No wonder! He spent so much time training and competing. Then he still had school. He’d complained about a difficult test he hadn’t had the time to study for last week. Poor kid. It was difficult for athletes to have a social life—or any life—outside of their sport. Or studies if they were still in school.

“Hey, Tsunehito.”

The skater turned. “What?”

“I’ll give you my number. Text me whenever you want to chat, okay?”

Tsunehito smiled. “Sure.” He walked back to the desk and pulled an expensive looking phone out of his bag. They swapped phone numbers. “I really have to go now. My coach will kill me if I’m late.”

“We wouldn’t want that.”

Tsunehito just laughed then left the office.

*   *   *

That week, Hide-Zou came to the skating rink on his day off. By now, he had a feel for Tsunehito’s schedule so knew he would be here practicing. If Tsunehito had the time, Hide-Zou wanted to go out and do something with him. Get food, shop a little, or they could go to the guitar store so Hide-Zou could show Tsunehito his dream guitar.

Tsunehito was practicing when Hide-Zou arrived at the rink. He headed down the stairs to get closer as he watched Tsunehito move across the ice. Backwards skating then a spin, a triple axel jump… then the notoriously tricky quadruple axel. Hide-Zou took a seat in the first row to continue watching Tsunehito. He did a double take when he skated by and saw Hide-Zou there. Then smiled, raising his hand to wave. Hide-Zou waved back. He sat there for the remainder of Tsunehito’s practice session, wondering how Tsunehito could spin so rapidly without getting dizzy. Or falling over. He certainly wouldn’t be able to do it.

He could tell practice was over when Tsunehito skated to the other side of the rink to join a woman. His coach, Hide-Zou assumed. Tsunehito picked up a water bottle then gulped down the contents, nodding as she spoke to him. It was too far away to hear what they were saying. Hide-Zou hoped it was only good things. Tsunehito’s routine had looked incredible. Unsure of how long the conversation would last, Hide-Zou pulled his phone out of his pocket. He played phone games until he heard blades sliding across the ice in his direction.

Tsunehito stopped in front of him, resting his bare arms on the barrier. He wore a tank top and leggings today and his cheeks were flushed from the exercise. “Hey,” he said, brushing his damp hair back. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

Hide-Zou grinned. “Nope. It’s my day off.”

Tsunehito’s eyes widened. “Really? What are you doing here then?”

“Looking for you. I know you’re busy, but do you want to go get something to eat? We could walk around afterwards. Do something outside the rink if you’re interested.”

Tsunehito hesitated for a moment then nodded. “I’d like that. Give me about ten minutes, I need to talk to my coach again and change.”

Hide-Zou nodded. “All right. I’ll wait outside, it’s freezing in here.” He made a face as he rubbed his arms.

Tsunehito chuckled. “Not when you’re skating for two hours straight.” He raised his arms above his head and did some horrific back-bending stretch that made Hide-Zou’s spine ache. Then he straightened. “I’ll meet you outside, okay?”

“I’ll be there.”

Hide-Zou played with his phone to pass the time as he waited for Tsunehito. He glanced up when Tsunehito, now wearing jeans and a hoodie with his skating bag slung over his shoulder, came up to him. “Hey. I’m assuming you’re hungry now?” He must have worked up an appetite during his practice.

Tsunehito nodded. “I am pretty hungry.”

“All right. Food first!” Hide-Zou started walking then stopped, turning to look Tsunehito over from head to toe. “…Are you on some sort of special, athletic diet? Because you’re pretty tiny.” Almost frail-looking. Which was worrying with the things he did on the ice.  
Tsunehito gave him an amused look. “I eat healthy and work out. That doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to eat junk food though. Let’s get McDonalds! I haven’t had fries in a month and I’m dying to eat some.”

Hide-Zou smirked. “Might as well break your diet in an epic way. There are McDonalds everywhere so if you don’t mind waiting a little longer, there’s one by the guitar shop I like. I want to show you the guitar I’m saving up for.” He itched to see the guitar again. Last night, he’d dreamt of playing it on stage. Waking up had sucked since he wasn’t a stage-worthy musician and also didn’t own the coveted guitar.

“I’d like to see that,” Tsunehito said.

“Me too.” Hide-Zou also wanted to see if the price had changed any. It was unlikely, but looking at the guitar again would give him an idea of how much more money he needed to save so he could buy it.

Tsunehito was practically bouncing once they reached McDonalds. “I’m so hungry,” he grumbled, rubbing his stomach.

Hide-Zou snickered. “Good thing we’re here then. I take it you already know what you’re getting?” He liked fast food as much as the next teenager. Like Tsunehito, he didn’t get to eat it much. For different reasons though. Hide-Zou’s parents were health nuts who constantly complained about the grease, the fat, blah blah etc.

“Mm,” Tsunehito nodded. “Fries and a cheeseburger.”

“Sounds good.” They entered the McDonalds and took their places in line. Once they had their food, they grabbed a booth. Tsunehito looked like he was in heaven as he took the first bite out of his cheeseburger. “Enjoying yourself?” Hide-Zou laughed, taking a drink from his melon soda.

Mouth full, Tsunehito could nod. He spoke up once he’d swallowed. “Yeah, it’s delicious.”

“You might need to skate for another two hours to burn off the calories from that hamburger,” Hide-Zou joked. “My parents would be jogging until they’d burned off every calorie.”

“Healthy parents?”

“Very. You should see the look on my mom’s face when I bring home junk food. She doesn’t even eat chocolate by the kilogram like most moms do.”

Tsunehito laughed at the description. “My mom doesn’t eat chocolate that much but she can’t say no to ice cream. She and Dad are pretty healthy otherwise though. And they always tell me to maintain a good exercise and diet regiment. But as I said,” he smirked as he ate some more fries, “everyone needs to break their diet sometimes.”

“I agree.” Hide-Zou took another bite out of his hamburger. “So I guess you’ve been skating since you were old enough to walk?”

“Since I was three.”

Hide-Zou suddenly felt lame. Tsunehito had been skating for twelve years. Playing guitar was the longest hobby Hide-Zou had ever maintained. “No wonder you’re so good.”

“It’s taken hours upon hours of practice,” Tsunehito said. “No one is just born with athletic talent. They have to work to improve on it. Same with you and your guitar, I guess.”

“Or your bass.”

Tsunehito smiled wryly. “I’m definitely not good at that though.”

“So what got you into playing bass anyway?” Hide-Zou asked, devouring some more fries while Tsunehito looked thoughtful.

“Two years ago, I landed badly on a triple axel. I fell in an awkward position and sprained my ankle but also slammed into the wall. Got a concussion from that,” he made a face. “My doctor ordered me to stay off the ice for three weeks. Since I wasn’t skating, I suddenly had a lot of free time.” Tsunehito paused to take another bite out of his cheeseburger. Hide-Zou nodded, eating some more while Tsunehito chewed. “I wanted to learn how to play guitar for a while so decided I might as well do it then. Mom bought me a bass guitar and found me a teacher. I practiced my playing since I couldn’t skate.” Tsunehito blew out a sigh as he raised his cup. “Like I said earlier, I wish I had the time to practice the bass more. I’d love to play better but the only way I’d get more practice time is if I hurt myself on the ice. With the Olympics and another competition coming up, I can’t afford an injury.”

Hide-Zou had a mouth full of fries so just nodded. He swallowed too quickly, grimaced, and rubbed his throat. “Sounds unpleasant but at least you had something to do when you couldn’t be on the ice.”

“Yeah.” Tsunehito brushed his hair back then reached for another fry, blinking as he realized he’d eaten them all.

Hide-Zou pushed his tray towards Tsunehito. “Here, have the rest of my fries. I can tell you need them more.”

He was surprised when Tsunehito blushed. “Thank you.” He happily ate the remaining fries. After finishing their meals, they wiped the grease off their fingers and threw out the trash. “So… you were going to show me your ideal guitar?”

“Yeah. The shop is just down the street.” Hide-Zou grabbed Tsunehito’s skating bag and hoisted it over his shoulder, smirking at the look of wide-eyed surprise on the younger boy’s face. “Come on, let me be gentlemanly and carry your bag.”

Tsunehito glowered at him. “I’m not a damsel in distress. Besides, I bet I can lift more weight than you at the gym.”

Hide-Zou playfully dodged when Tsunehito reached for the bag. “You’re on, shorty.”

“Shorty?!” Tsunehito’s voice cracked in outrage, making Hide-Zou laugh. Oh it’d been a good idea to take Tsunehito out today. He could tell the skater was enjoying himself despite the teasing.

*   *   *

Hide-Zou started awake as his phone buzzed. He sat up then groaned as he realized he’d drooled on his math book. Fuck. Well, it was so boring it was no wonder it’d put him to sleep. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes then picked up his phone. It was almost 02:00 and he’d just received a text from Tsunehito.

_Sorry for the late text. Are you busy on Saturday? I… have a skating competition then. I’d like you to come. If you want._

Another text followed. _You don’t have to. You’d probably be bored. Or blinded by the glitter. Mom picked my costume. I look like a disco ball barfed on a red and black costume._

Hide-Zou yawned, reading over the messages again. Tsunehito was usually a confident person. He must be a bundle of nerves if he was babbling about the competition at this hour. _Of course I’ll come._

_Thank you. Were you asleep?_

_Mm. fell asleep on my math book. Might’ve drowned in drool if it hadn’t been for your text. You saved me._

_…That’s disgusting._

Hide-Zou grinned. _I know. But you seem stressed so I wanted to make you laugh. Can’t sleep?_

_No. I always think I can handle the pressure of competing but I get anxious a few days before the event. Nervous, shaky. Can’t sleep._

Hide-Zou frowned. He was glad that he’d befriended Tsunehito. The skater could talk to him when he was stressed or anxious. Before, would Tsunehito have had anyone to talk to about this? Hide-Zou didn’t know. _You’re going to skate amazingly like you always do. Should I wear my I <3 Tsune badge?_

_…I’m not sure I want to imagine that._

_Or maybe a No. 1 Tsune fan t-shirt._

_…Please don’t do that._

Hide-Zou pressed his hand against his mouth to muffle his laughter. He could just imagine Tsunehito grimacing at his phone. The visual was adorable. Like Tsunehito himself, although he made grumpy faces when told he was cute. Hide-Zou quickly texted back. _Okay, I lied. I don't have any of those._

_I’d be afraid if you did._

_Just a giant flag with your face on it._

_……_

_That was a lie too._

_Zou. Go to bed._

Hide-Zou turned off his desk light, stretching as he migrated over to his bed. Once he was under the covers, he texted back. _You should do the same._

_I’m in bed. I just can’t sleep._

_Read something really boring? Maybe a textbook. Mine was so thrilling it knocked me out._ He probably wouldn’t do too well on that test. Oh well. Hide-Zou wasn’t interested in going on to university anyway.

_I guess I’ll try. Go back to sleep._

_Will do. Good night._

_Good night._

Hide-Zou half expected more texts, but didn’t receive any. Tsunehito was probably leaving him alone so he could sleep. Hide-Zou shifted into a more comfortable position. He’d have to text Tsunehito in the morning to see if he ever managed to sleep again.

Upon waking up, Hide-Zou texted his friend. There was no answer so he assumed Tsunehito was still asleep. Or busy? He could be showering. Shrugging, Hide-Zou put the matter out of his mind as he set about getting ready for school. He checked his phone when he had a break between classes and frowned when there was still no response to his text. By now, he’d been friends with Tsunehito for about two months. He was used to Tsunehito taking a while to respond to texts since he had a busy life. Still, he usually responded quickly when he had an upcoming competition. So Hide-Zou sent him a quick text asking if he was busy today. Then another asking if he wanted to meet up later.

By the end of the school day, Tsunehito still hadn’t answered his texts. Hide-Zou was a little worried about him. Even though he knew he shouldn’t be. Tsunehito was probably skating or his phone was dead. And if he fussed any more, Hide-Zou might turn into his sister who was distraught when her friends didn’t respond to her texts within an hour. Something Hide-Zou enjoyed teasing her about.

Sighing, he decided to put the matter out of his mind. He knew Tsunehito had a busy life and their schedules didn’t always match up for talking. His best bet of hearing from Tsunehito today was during his shift at the skating rink. Given Saturday’s competition, it was likely that Tsunehito’s coach had him on the ice for extra hours to make sure his routine could be executed flawlessly. His knowledge of Tsunehito’s rigorous schedule made Hide-Zou grateful that he’d never pursued a career as a professional athlete.

Hide-Zou arrived at the skating rink just as Tsunehito and his coach were leaving. “Tsune!” he called, running up to the pair. He noticed his coach’s expression darkening in displeasure but ignored her. Tsunehito was his priority right now. The skater froze as Hide-Zou approached. He wore a jacket over his training clothes and had his familiar skating bag slung over his shoulder. Tsunehito cast his coach an anxious look before turning to Hide-Zou.

“Hey,” he said softly.

Tsunehito’s coach laid her hand on his shoulder. “We should go.”

“I’ll just be a few minutes.”

She hesitated then nodded, even though she didn’t look happy. “All right. Don’t let yourself get too distracted. You skated well today, but you and I know all too well what happens when you lose your focus.”

Hide-Zou started to worry again as Tsunehito murmured an agreement. It was rare to see the skater so… meek. He watched the coach walk away before fixing his gaze on Tsunehito again. “Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you all day. Did you have a fight with your coach or something?”

Tsunehito lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry. It’s… there’s…” he sighed as he struggled with the words. “A lot has happened today. My coach said she needed to talk to me and she wanted my parents to be there too. We met at my house and they,” he swallowed, “they said I’m not myself. I’m not as focused as I usually am, I’m not executing my routines as well as I should, that I don’t seem as committed to skating, and that there’s something missing from my routines. You heard my coach warning me about distractions. She and my parents think… they think you’re a distraction. That I’m focusing too much on you instead of skating.”

Hide-Zou did a double take. “What?” He thought he was helping Tsunehito by being his friend! Now he was some distraction that was getting in the way of Tsunehito’s career? That hurt.

The skater looked at him with eyes full of remorse. “Mom says you’re one big distraction. They keep telling me that I can’t afford distractions at this stage in my life. I’m going to the Youth Olympics; my performance there is practice for the winter Olympics in two years. Then with the competition on Saturday…” he sighed, biting his lip. “I-I think they might be right, Zou. I’ve used time I could be training to hang out with you instead. I look for you when I’m practicing because I like having you watch me skate. When you’re there, I skate better because I want to perform well for you. I don’t want to disappoint you. I’ve never felt this way for anyone besides my coach and my parents. Now I-”

Hide-Zou closed his eyes. “Tsune, stop. I’m not some ‘distraction’ that’s getting in the way of your life. I’m your friend. Someone you can spend time with when you need a break from skating, someone you can talk to when you’re stressed.” Tsunehito’s misery was equally as upsetting as his manipulative coach and parents. Did they want Tsunehito to isolate himself and focus only on skating and training? That was absurd. No one was that dedicated. “I know I’m the only real friend you have so don't let your parents and your coach force me out of your life.”

“You are,” Tsunehito whispered. “And I don’t want to lose you. But I can’t… I can’t afford to be distracted.” He sighed as he dragged his hands down his face. “Mom’s confiscated my phone for the rest of the week. She says I can’t afford to become any more sidetracked from the competition. So I don’t know if I’ll be able to talk to or see you again this week.” He sighed again as he faced Hide-Zou. “I guess I’ll just have to skate as best as I possibly can this week. Show them that I can keep you in my life and skate. I never thought we’d end up so close… but I really like having you here. I can be a normal teenager with you, something I’d almost forgotten how to be.” He rocked back on his heels. “You remember how I said that I’ve lost contact with all my old friends?”

Hide-Zou nodded. “I remember.”

“You’re the only friend that made an effort to get close to me. Despite my schedule and how busy I am, you still want to stay in my life. And I want you to be a part of it. I guess… I just… I got too dependent on you.”

Hide-Zou hesitated then hugged Tsunehito. The smaller body tensed in his arms for a moment. Then Tsunehito sagged against him as he returned the embrace. “It’s okay,” he said. “You do your thing and I’ll keep saving for my guitar.” He stepped back, glowering at the rink. “I’ll hear about the competition on the news, I guess. Maybe your dictator parents will let you have your phone back after it. Then you can text me again.”

Tsunehito grimaced. “Maybe.” He sighed then hugged Hide-Zou again. “I’m really sorry about this.”

“It isn’t your fault.” Hide-Zou was adamant about that. He rubbed Tsunehito’s back then gently pushed him out to arms length. “I bet your coach is giving me the evil eye so I’ll let you go. Good luck on Saturday… text me when you’re able to.”

Tsunehito nodded. “Thank you. I will.” He waved then walked away. Hide-Zou watched him go, still stunned that the skater’s coach and parents thought of him as some unwanted distraction.

**Notes**  
1) There is a Youth Olympics but the winter games first began in 2012. Not the time-period this fic is set so that's where the reality bending warning comes from  
2) "Behind the Glitter" is the prequel to "When Nightmares Become Reality" where Tsunehito meets Asagi.  
3) Tsunehito's parents aren't always the nicest people. They're very strict which will come into play later in this story.


	2. A Fragile Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At seventeen, Hide-Zou gets a job at the skating rink so he can save money to buy a new guitar. While working he meets and befriends Yokohama's skating darling: fifteen-year-old Tsunehito who has Olympic potential. They have to overcome some hurdles to stay in each other's lives and two years later, Hide-Zou finds himself falling for Tsunehito.

  
**Title:** Behind the Glitter - Chapter 1: A Fragile Bond

  
**Author:** [](http://write-my-dreams.livejournal.com/profile)[**write_my_dreams**](http://write-my-dreams.livejournal.com/)  


  
**Pairing:** eventual Hide-Zou x Tsunehito

  
**Genre:** AU, figure skating, some drama

  
**Warning:** I bent reality a bit with some of the sporting events mentioned. I am by no means a figure skater.

  
**Disclaimer:** Hide-Zou and Tsunehito do not belong to me. I used details from their lives to make the characters but this is a work of fiction. The storyline and the writing belong to me.

  
**Rating:** PG

  
**Chapters:** 1/3(?)

  
**Summary:** At seventeen, Hide-Zou gets a job at the skating rink so he can save money to buy a new guitar. While working he meets and befriends Yokohama's skating darling: fifteen-year-old Tsunehito who has Olympic potential. They have to overcome some hurdles to stay in each other's lives and two years later, Hide-Zou finds himself falling for Tsunehito.

  
**Author's Comment:** Thanks to the Thorki skating AU on tumblr and my general interest in figure skating, this fic was born. It is a part of the vampire series even though there are no vampires in this particular series. Because I wrote Asagi's memory arc, I decided to include some of Tsunehito's important memories because it does affect his character when he's an adult.

Today marked Hide-Zou’s one month anniversary of working at the ice rink. The job wasn’t too bad even though it wasn’t the one he had his heart set on. He wanted to work at his favorite guitar store. Still, better the ice rink than McDonalds. And the job at least paid well. Soon enough, he’d be able to buy the guitar he’d coveted for the last few months. Then after he’d shaken off the shackles of school, he and his band could do better. They just needed better quality instruments first. Couldn’t play great music with shitty guitars after all.

Realizing he was drumming a tune on his mop, Hide-Zou resumed cleaning the stadium stands. His boss was a nice guy who quickly became not so nice when he caught his employees slacking. Hide-Zou continued to clean his assigned section of the stands. He raised his head as he heard blades on the ice. He raised his head then squinted at the lone figure on the ice. Oh, Tsunehito. Hide-Zou was no expert on figure skating, but recognizing this skater was easy. Fifteen-year-old Tsunehito, born and raised in Yokohama, had recently qualified for Japan’s Youth Olympics team. He was also determined to compete in the next winter Olympics. Hide-Zou liked to watch him practice since Tsunehito was extremely talented. He was so graceful as he glided across the ice. And he was very attractive. No wonder, Hide-Zou had seen Tsunehito’s parents (who were former Olympic figure skaters) at the rink before. His mother looked like she could be a model.

Catching himself, Hide-Zou quickly concentrated on the stands. Just in case his boss was looking. If he glanced up every so often to watch Tsunehito practice, it wasn’t his fault. The skater was too fascinating to ignore. His jumps and spins looked so effortless. Hide-Zou grimaced at the occasional display of flexibility. Oh, just imagining doing that was painful. Tsunehito bent over his extended leg as he spun on one thin blade or holding his foot up and spinning on the other. He made his entire routine look as easy as walking. Surely he would be able to win a medal at the Youth Olympics. Even though they’d never spoken, Hide-Zou wanted Tsunehito to succeed. He sensed that failure might break the little skater. He looked so heartbreakingly fragile sometimes. As if one blow—one loss—would shatter him into a thousand pieces.

_Stop thinking about him._ What did Hide-Zou know about Tsunehito anyway? It wasn’t as if they would ever communicate. Olympic skaters didn’t talk to regular workers.

*   *   *

The opportunity came sooner than Hide-Zou would ever have expected. He was cleaning the mirrors in the locker room (wondering when he’d get switched to registry duty) when Tsunehito entered. He’d trained in casual clothes instead of a flashy costume. He looked so different in socks and training clothes with his skates tucked under his arm. Hide-Zou turned back to the mirror to resume doing his job. He blinked at his reflection upon seeing that Tsunehito was watching him.

“You watched me skate.”

“Huh?” Hide-Zou turned from the now-spotless mirror. “Oh, yeah. I like watching the skaters when I’m on break. Especially you.” He gave Tsunehito an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. That sounded creepy. Really creepy. “I’d tell you that you skate beautifully, but you already know that.”

Tsunehito laughed softly. “I do, but I appreciate the compliment. Thank you.” He smoothed his sweat-slicked hair back then tilted his head. “I’ve noticed that you usually watch me when I’m practicing. Why?”

Hide-Zou hadn’t expected that. “Why not?” he set his cleaning bottle on the sink. “I like the way you skate since you make it look so easy. It’s interesting to watch you. Also, you’re from Yokohama like me so I guess that’s another reason. Mostly though, it’s because you’re so talented and I feel like you’ll do great things. Plus you’re cute.” The last part slipped out. Hide-Zou blushed then hid a grin behind his hand at the startled look on Tsunehito’s face. Clearly he hadn’t expected that.

The skater flushed then gave him a shy smile. “I… thank you. I guess I should let you get back to work now.”

“Sadly, not all of us have a glamorous life.” Hide-Zou wrinkled his nose as he resumed cleaning. He was seriously sick of cleaning up the rink and locker rooms. Tidying his room or assisting his mom with the cleaning was bad enough. Now he was required to clean to stay employed. It sucked. _Think of the guitar,_ he reminded himself. His boss had at least mentioned putting him on registry duty soon. Then he’d just be taking people’s money for free skate or selling food at games. So much better than cleaning.

Tsunehito’s answering sigh startled him. “Once you peel away the glitter you’ll see that a figure skater’s life isn’t as glamorous as it looks.”

Hide-Zou turned to ask Tsunehito more. Too late; Tsunehito was already walking away. He frowned then returned to his job. Tsunehito had been born and raised in the skating industry. He would know better than anyone that it wasn’t as glorious as it seemed.

After that initial conversation, Tsunehito became more aware of Hide-Zou’s presence. They were often at the rink at the same time so if Tsunehito saw him when he wasn’t practicing, he would come over to chat. The conversations never lasted long since Hide-Zou was working and Tsunehito either had to get on the ice or had somewhere to be. But it was something, and Hide-Zou started looking forward to those few minutes. They were starting to learn more about each other. Compared to Tsunehito, Hide-Zou felt like his life was deadly dull.

Despite their frequent chats, it took about two weeks for them to get closer. A helping factor was Hide-Zou having to miss two days of work because he had the flu. His mom wanted him to take a third day off, but he’d complained about too many reductions from his paycheck. So she relented and let him go. Hide-Zou was determined to get his guitar and would work as much as he needed in order to buy it.

His boss had, fortunately, put him on registry duty today. So Hide-Zou got to stand or sit behind the desk and take people’s money. He was sitting down when a familiar figure stepped into the room.

“Hey, where have you been?” Tsunehito asked.

“Had the flu.”

Tsunehito wrinkled his nose in sympathy. “No wonder you look so pale.”

Hide-Zou smiled playfully. “Maybe I’m just trying to maintain my delicate complexion.” He wasn’t, but he wanted to see Tsunehito’s reaction to that.

That made the skater laugh. “Yeah, sure.” He set his skating bag down. He wore one of his usual training outfits of leggings and a t-shirt, although the t-shirt’s pattern of guitars caught Hide-Zou’s attention.

“Nice shirt.”

Tsunehito glanced down. “Thanks.”

“I started working here so I could buy a new guitar,” Hide-Zou blurted. Why was he saying this? “I want to be a musician. For that though, I need a high-quality guitar. Probably a better band too.” No offense to his bandmates. They just didn’t share his ambitions.

“You can play the guitar?”

Hide-Zou nodded. “I’ve been playing since I was eleven. So six years now. I try to practice daily.”

“Good luck with your band. I can play bass a little. I don’t have the time to improve my playing since I’m so busy with skating though.”

They talked about music until Tsunehito said he had to get on the ice. He paid Hide-Zou for the rink rental then turned to go. Hide-Zou sighed softly as he watched the skater head towards the door. It was easy to tell that Tsunehito was lonely. No wonder! He spent so much time training and competing. Then he still had school. He’d complained about a difficult test he hadn’t had the time to study for last week. Poor kid. It was difficult for athletes to have a social life—or any life—outside of their sport. Or studies if they were still in school.

“Hey, Tsunehito.”

The skater turned. “What?”

“I’ll give you my number. Text me whenever you want to chat, okay?”

Tsunehito smiled. “Sure.” He walked back to the desk and pulled an expensive looking phone out of his bag. They swapped phone numbers. “I really have to go now. My coach will kill me if I’m late.”

“We wouldn’t want that.”

Tsunehito just laughed then left the office.

*   *   *

That week, Hide-Zou came to the skating rink on his day off. By now, he had a feel for Tsunehito’s schedule so knew he would be here practicing. If Tsunehito had the time, Hide-Zou wanted to go out and do something with him. Get food, shop a little, or they could go to the guitar store so Hide-Zou could show Tsunehito his dream guitar.

Tsunehito was practicing when Hide-Zou arrived at the rink. He headed down the stairs to get closer as he watched Tsunehito move across the ice. Backwards skating then a spin, a triple axel jump… then the notoriously tricky quadruple axel. Hide-Zou took a seat in the first row to continue watching Tsunehito. He did a double take when he skated by and saw Hide-Zou there. Then smiled, raising his hand to wave. Hide-Zou waved back. He sat there for the remainder of Tsunehito’s practice session, wondering how Tsunehito could spin so rapidly without getting dizzy. Or falling over. He certainly wouldn’t be able to do it.

He could tell practice was over when Tsunehito skated to the other side of the rink to join a woman. His coach, Hide-Zou assumed. Tsunehito picked up a water bottle then gulped down the contents, nodding as she spoke to him. It was too far away to hear what they were saying. Hide-Zou hoped it was only good things. Tsunehito’s routine had looked incredible. Unsure of how long the conversation would last, Hide-Zou pulled his phone out of his pocket. He played phone games until he heard blades sliding across the ice in his direction.

Tsunehito stopped in front of him, resting his bare arms on the barrier. He wore a tank top and leggings today and his cheeks were flushed from the exercise. “Hey,” he said, brushing his damp hair back. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

Hide-Zou grinned. “Nope. It’s my day off.”

Tsunehito’s eyes widened. “Really? What are you doing here then?”

“Looking for you. I know you’re busy, but do you want to go get something to eat? We could walk around afterwards. Do something outside the rink if you’re interested.”

Tsunehito hesitated for a moment then nodded. “I’d like that. Give me about ten minutes, I need to talk to my coach again and change.”

Hide-Zou nodded. “All right. I’ll wait outside, it’s freezing in here.” He made a face as he rubbed his arms.

Tsunehito chuckled. “Not when you’re skating for two hours straight.” He raised his arms above his head and did some horrific back-bending stretch that made Hide-Zou’s spine ache. Then he straightened. “I’ll meet you outside, okay?”

“I’ll be there.”

Hide-Zou played with his phone to pass the time as he waited for Tsunehito. He glanced up when Tsunehito, now wearing jeans and a hoodie with his skating bag slung over his shoulder, came up to him. “Hey. I’m assuming you’re hungry now?” He must have worked up an appetite during his practice.

Tsunehito nodded. “I am pretty hungry.”

“All right. Food first!” Hide-Zou started walking then stopped, turning to look Tsunehito over from head to toe. “…Are you on some sort of special, athletic diet? Because you’re pretty tiny.” Almost frail-looking. Which was worrying with the things he did on the ice.  
Tsunehito gave him an amused look. “I eat healthy and work out. That doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to eat junk food though. Let’s get McDonalds! I haven’t had fries in a month and I’m dying to eat some.”

Hide-Zou smirked. “Might as well break your diet in an epic way. There are McDonalds everywhere so if you don’t mind waiting a little longer, there’s one by the guitar shop I like. I want to show you the guitar I’m saving up for.” He itched to see the guitar again. Last night, he’d dreamt of playing it on stage. Waking up had sucked since he wasn’t a stage-worthy musician and also didn’t own the coveted guitar.

“I’d like to see that,” Tsunehito said.

“Me too.” Hide-Zou also wanted to see if the price had changed any. It was unlikely, but looking at the guitar again would give him an idea of how much more money he needed to save so he could buy it.

Tsunehito was practically bouncing once they reached McDonalds. “I’m so hungry,” he grumbled, rubbing his stomach.

Hide-Zou snickered. “Good thing we’re here then. I take it you already know what you’re getting?” He liked fast food as much as the next teenager. Like Tsunehito, he didn’t get to eat it much. For different reasons though. Hide-Zou’s parents were health nuts who constantly complained about the grease, the fat, blah blah etc.

“Mm,” Tsunehito nodded. “Fries and a cheeseburger.”

“Sounds good.” They entered the McDonalds and took their places in line. Once they had their food, they grabbed a booth. Tsunehito looked like he was in heaven as he took the first bite out of his cheeseburger. “Enjoying yourself?” Hide-Zou laughed, taking a drink from his melon soda.

Mouth full, Tsunehito could nod. He spoke up once he’d swallowed. “Yeah, it’s delicious.”

“You might need to skate for another two hours to burn off the calories from that hamburger,” Hide-Zou joked. “My parents would be jogging until they’d burned off every calorie.”

“Healthy parents?”

“Very. You should see the look on my mom’s face when I bring home junk food. She doesn’t even eat chocolate by the kilogram like most moms do.”

Tsunehito laughed at the description. “My mom doesn’t eat chocolate that much but she can’t say no to ice cream. She and Dad are pretty healthy otherwise though. And they always tell me to maintain a good exercise and diet regiment. But as I said,” he smirked as he ate some more fries, “everyone needs to break their diet sometimes.”

“I agree.” Hide-Zou took another bite out of his hamburger. “So I guess you’ve been skating since you were old enough to walk?”

“Since I was three.”

Hide-Zou suddenly felt lame. Tsunehito had been skating for twelve years. Playing guitar was the longest hobby Hide-Zou had ever maintained. “No wonder you’re so good.”

“It’s taken hours upon hours of practice,” Tsunehito said. “No one is just born with athletic talent. They have to work to improve on it. Same with you and your guitar, I guess.”

“Or your bass.”

Tsunehito smiled wryly. “I’m definitely not good at that though.”

“So what got you into playing bass anyway?” Hide-Zou asked, devouring some more fries while Tsunehito looked thoughtful.

“Two years ago, I landed badly on a triple axel. I fell in an awkward position and sprained my ankle but also slammed into the wall. Got a concussion from that,” he made a face. “My doctor ordered me to stay off the ice for three weeks. Since I wasn’t skating, I suddenly had a lot of free time.” Tsunehito paused to take another bite out of his cheeseburger. Hide-Zou nodded, eating some more while Tsunehito chewed. “I wanted to learn how to play guitar for a while so decided I might as well do it then. Mom bought me a bass guitar and found me a teacher. I practiced my playing since I couldn’t skate.” Tsunehito blew out a sigh as he raised his cup. “Like I said earlier, I wish I had the time to practice the bass more. I’d love to play better but the only way I’d get more practice time is if I hurt myself on the ice. With the Olympics and another competition coming up, I can’t afford an injury.”

Hide-Zou had a mouth full of fries so just nodded. He swallowed too quickly, grimaced, and rubbed his throat. “Sounds unpleasant but at least you had something to do when you couldn’t be on the ice.”

“Yeah.” Tsunehito brushed his hair back then reached for another fry, blinking as he realized he’d eaten them all.

Hide-Zou pushed his tray towards Tsunehito. “Here, have the rest of my fries. I can tell you need them more.”

He was surprised when Tsunehito blushed. “Thank you.” He happily ate the remaining fries. After finishing their meals, they wiped the grease off their fingers and threw out the trash. “So… you were going to show me your ideal guitar?”

“Yeah. The shop is just down the street.” Hide-Zou grabbed Tsunehito’s skating bag and hoisted it over his shoulder, smirking at the look of wide-eyed surprise on the younger boy’s face. “Come on, let me be gentlemanly and carry your bag.”

Tsunehito glowered at him. “I’m not a damsel in distress. Besides, I bet I can lift more weight than you at the gym.”

Hide-Zou playfully dodged when Tsunehito reached for the bag. “You’re on, shorty.”

“Shorty?!” Tsunehito’s voice cracked in outrage, making Hide-Zou laugh. Oh it’d been a good idea to take Tsunehito out today. He could tell the skater was enjoying himself despite the teasing.

*   *   *

Hide-Zou started awake as his phone buzzed. He sat up then groaned as he realized he’d drooled on his math book. Fuck. Well, it was so boring it was no wonder it’d put him to sleep. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes then picked up his phone. It was almost 02:00 and he’d just received a text from Tsunehito.

_Sorry for the late text. Are you busy on Saturday? I… have a skating competition then. I’d like you to come. If you want._

Another text followed. _You don’t have to. You’d probably be bored. Or blinded by the glitter. Mom picked my costume. I look like a disco ball barfed on a red and black costume._

Hide-Zou yawned, reading over the messages again. Tsunehito was usually a confident person. He must be a bundle of nerves if he was babbling about the competition at this hour. _Of course I’ll come._

_Thank you. Were you asleep?_

_Mm. fell asleep on my math book. Might’ve drowned in drool if it hadn’t been for your text. You saved me._

_…That’s disgusting._

Hide-Zou grinned. _I know. But you seem stressed so I wanted to make you laugh. Can’t sleep?_

_No. I always think I can handle the pressure of competing but I get anxious a few days before the event. Nervous, shaky. Can’t sleep._

Hide-Zou frowned. He was glad that he’d befriended Tsunehito. The skater could talk to him when he was stressed or anxious. Before, would Tsunehito have had anyone to talk to about this? Hide-Zou didn’t know. _You’re going to skate amazingly like you always do. Should I wear my I <3 Tsune badge?_

_…I’m not sure I want to imagine that._

_Or maybe a No. 1 Tsune fan t-shirt._

_…Please don’t do that._

Hide-Zou pressed his hand against his mouth to muffle his laughter. He could just imagine Tsunehito grimacing at his phone. The visual was adorable. Like Tsunehito himself, although he made grumpy faces when told he was cute. Hide-Zou quickly texted back. _Okay, I lied. I don't have any of those._

_I’d be afraid if you did._

_Just a giant flag with your face on it._

_……_

_That was a lie too._

_Zou. Go to bed._

Hide-Zou turned off his desk light, stretching as he migrated over to his bed. Once he was under the covers, he texted back. _You should do the same._

_I’m in bed. I just can’t sleep._

_Read something really boring? Maybe a textbook. Mine was so thrilling it knocked me out._ He probably wouldn’t do too well on that test. Oh well. Hide-Zou wasn’t interested in going on to university anyway.

_I guess I’ll try. Go back to sleep._

_Will do. Good night._

_Good night._

Hide-Zou half expected more texts, but didn’t receive any. Tsunehito was probably leaving him alone so he could sleep. Hide-Zou shifted into a more comfortable position. He’d have to text Tsunehito in the morning to see if he ever managed to sleep again.

Upon waking up, Hide-Zou texted his friend. There was no answer so he assumed Tsunehito was still asleep. Or busy? He could be showering. Shrugging, Hide-Zou put the matter out of his mind as he set about getting ready for school. He checked his phone when he had a break between classes and frowned when there was still no response to his text. By now, he’d been friends with Tsunehito for about two months. He was used to Tsunehito taking a while to respond to texts since he had a busy life. Still, he usually responded quickly when he had an upcoming competition. So Hide-Zou sent him a quick text asking if he was busy today. Then another asking if he wanted to meet up later.

By the end of the school day, Tsunehito still hadn’t answered his texts. Hide-Zou was a little worried about him. Even though he knew he shouldn’t be. Tsunehito was probably skating or his phone was dead. And if he fussed any more, Hide-Zou might turn into his sister who was distraught when her friends didn’t respond to her texts within an hour. Something Hide-Zou enjoyed teasing her about.

Sighing, he decided to put the matter out of his mind. He knew Tsunehito had a busy life and their schedules didn’t always match up for talking. His best bet of hearing from Tsunehito today was during his shift at the skating rink. Given Saturday’s competition, it was likely that Tsunehito’s coach had him on the ice for extra hours to make sure his routine could be executed flawlessly. His knowledge of Tsunehito’s rigorous schedule made Hide-Zou grateful that he’d never pursued a career as a professional athlete.

Hide-Zou arrived at the skating rink just as Tsunehito and his coach were leaving. “Tsune!” he called, running up to the pair. He noticed his coach’s expression darkening in displeasure but ignored her. Tsunehito was his priority right now. The skater froze as Hide-Zou approached. He wore a jacket over his training clothes and had his familiar skating bag slung over his shoulder. Tsunehito cast his coach an anxious look before turning to Hide-Zou.

“Hey,” he said softly.

Tsunehito’s coach laid her hand on his shoulder. “We should go.”

“I’ll just be a few minutes.”

She hesitated then nodded, even though she didn’t look happy. “All right. Don’t let yourself get too distracted. You skated well today, but you and I know all too well what happens when you lose your focus.”

Hide-Zou started to worry again as Tsunehito murmured an agreement. It was rare to see the skater so… meek. He watched the coach walk away before fixing his gaze on Tsunehito again. “Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you all day. Did you have a fight with your coach or something?”

Tsunehito lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry. It’s… there’s…” he sighed as he struggled with the words. “A lot has happened today. My coach said she needed to talk to me and she wanted my parents to be there too. We met at my house and they,” he swallowed, “they said I’m not myself. I’m not as focused as I usually am, I’m not executing my routines as well as I should, that I don’t seem as committed to skating, and that there’s something missing from my routines. You heard my coach warning me about distractions. She and my parents think… they think you’re a distraction. That I’m focusing too much on you instead of skating.”

Hide-Zou did a double take. “What?” He thought he was helping Tsunehito by being his friend! Now he was some distraction that was getting in the way of Tsunehito’s career? That hurt.

The skater looked at him with eyes full of remorse. “Mom says you’re one big distraction. They keep telling me that I can’t afford distractions at this stage in my life. I’m going to the Youth Olympics; my performance there is practice for the winter Olympics in two years. Then with the competition on Saturday…” he sighed, biting his lip. “I-I think they might be right, Zou. I’ve used time I could be training to hang out with you instead. I look for you when I’m practicing because I like having you watch me skate. When you’re there, I skate better because I want to perform well for you. I don’t want to disappoint you. I’ve never felt this way for anyone besides my coach and my parents. Now I-”

Hide-Zou closed his eyes. “Tsune, stop. I’m not some ‘distraction’ that’s getting in the way of your life. I’m your friend. Someone you can spend time with when you need a break from skating, someone you can talk to when you’re stressed.” Tsunehito’s misery was equally as upsetting as his manipulative coach and parents. Did they want Tsunehito to isolate himself and focus only on skating and training? That was absurd. No one was that dedicated. “I know I’m the only real friend you have so don't let your parents and your coach force me out of your life.”

“You are,” Tsunehito whispered. “And I don’t want to lose you. But I can’t… I can’t afford to be distracted.” He sighed as he dragged his hands down his face. “Mom’s confiscated my phone for the rest of the week. She says I can’t afford to become any more sidetracked from the competition. So I don’t know if I’ll be able to talk to or see you again this week.” He sighed again as he faced Hide-Zou. “I guess I’ll just have to skate as best as I possibly can this week. Show them that I can keep you in my life and skate. I never thought we’d end up so close… but I really like having you here. I can be a normal teenager with you, something I’d almost forgotten how to be.” He rocked back on his heels. “You remember how I said that I’ve lost contact with all my old friends?”

Hide-Zou nodded. “I remember.”

“You’re the only friend that made an effort to get close to me. Despite my schedule and how busy I am, you still want to stay in my life. And I want you to be a part of it. I guess… I just… I got too dependent on you.”

Hide-Zou hesitated then hugged Tsunehito. The smaller body tensed in his arms for a moment. Then Tsunehito sagged against him as he returned the embrace. “It’s okay,” he said. “You do your thing and I’ll keep saving for my guitar.” He stepped back, glowering at the rink. “I’ll hear about the competition on the news, I guess. Maybe your dictator parents will let you have your phone back after it. Then you can text me again.”

Tsunehito grimaced. “Maybe.” He sighed then hugged Hide-Zou again. “I’m really sorry about this.”

“It isn’t your fault.” Hide-Zou was adamant about that. He rubbed Tsunehito’s back then gently pushed him out to arms length. “I bet your coach is giving me the evil eye so I’ll let you go. Good luck on Saturday… text me when you’re able to.”

Tsunehito nodded. “Thank you. I will.” He waved then walked away. Hide-Zou watched him go, still stunned that the skater’s coach and parents thought of him as some unwanted distraction.

**Notes**  
1) There is a Youth Olympics but the winter games first began in 2012. Not the time-period this fic is set so that's where the reality bending warning comes from  
2) "Behind the Glitter" is the prequel to "When Nightmares Become Reality" where Tsunehito meets Asagi.  
3) Tsunehito's parents aren't always the nicest people. They're very strict which will come into play later in this story.


	3. Behind the Glitter - Chapter 3: Broken Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At seventeen, Hide-Zou gets a job at the skating rink so he can save money to buy a new guitar. While working he meets and befriends Yokohama's skating darling: fifteen-year-old Tsunehito who has Olympic potential. They have to overcome some hurdles to stay in each other's lives and two years later, Hide-Zou finds himself falling for Tsunehito.

  
**Edit -** I had been having copy/paste issues when I was posting this and apparently the story got posted twice. Thank you [](http://faewitchkins.livejournal.com/profile)[**faewitchkins**](http://faewitchkins.livejournal.com/) for pointing that out. ~~And shame on you others~~

**Title:** Behind the Glitter - Chapter 3: Broken Dreams

  
**Author:** [](http://write-my-dreams.livejournal.com/profile)[**write_my_dreams**](http://write-my-dreams.livejournal.com/)  


  
**Pairing:** Hide-Zou x Tsunehito

  
**Genre:** AU, figure skating, some drama

  
**Warning:** I bent reality a bit with some of the sporting events mentioned. I am by no means a figure skater.

  
**Disclaimer:** Hide-Zou and Tsunehito do not belong to me. I used details from their lives to make the characters but this is a work of fiction. The storyline and the writing belong to me.

  
**Rating:** PG

  
**Chapters:** 3/3

  
**Summary:** At seventeen, Hide-Zou gets a job at the skating rink so he can save money to buy a new guitar. While working he meets and befriends Yokohama's skating darling: fifteen-year-old Tsunehito who has Olympic potential. They have to overcome some hurdles to stay in each other's lives and two years later, Hide-Zou finds himself falling for Tsunehito.

  
**Author's Comment:** Impressive, managed to get this one done in two days despite being very uncertain about whether I should show more of their lives. I'm still dizzy and kind of feverish so I've done my best to proof this and make sure it's in good condition.

Hide-Zou shifted on the bench as he watched Tsunehito skate by. He was soon distracted by how nice his lover’s—yes, his _lover’s_ —ass looked in his black leggings. The redhead’s body was far too appealing in his training clothes of leggings and a body-hugging shirt. Hide-Zou’s fingers itched to run over his lover’s body. His eyes wandered over Tsunehito’s legs, admiring how the fabric clung to his slender yet toned frame. He raised his gaze as he saw Tsunehito preparing for a jump. He’d seen the redhead make these jumps so many times that he knew Tsunehito was more than capable of executing them perfectly but it never stopped his heart from pounding as he saw Tsunehito taking off into the air. He held his breath as he watched the redhead’s body rotate then he landed gracefully on his left skate. Hide-Zou exhaled in relief. Another perfect quadruple axel.

“Excellent!” Tsunehito’s coach called to him. “I want to see your routine twice more and then you can go home. If you skate as well as you’ve done in practice there’s no way you won’t be able to win on Friday.”

 “Got it,” the redhead said. He spun on the ice then skated towards the bench where Hide-Zou was seated. “I should be out of here in another ten minutes,” he said, rolling his shoulders. His coach had kept him on the ice for four hours going through drills, warm-ups, and his routine. His cheeks were flushed and he raised his fingers to slick his damp hair back. “Ugh, I can’t wait to shower. I feel disgusting.” Tsunehito grimaced as he wiped his hands on his leggings.

Hide-Zou nodded, leaning forward to trail his fingers down Tsunehito’s arm. “Then I can take you out to dinner?” They’d been together for almost five months now. Hide-Zou liked having date nights with Tsunehito and made sure to save some money from each paycheck to use for the dates. Even though Tsunehito would protest and insist that he could pay for his own dinners—but Hide-Zou’s parents had instilled him with gentlemanly values. He never let his dates pay.

Tsunehito grinned. “Definitely. I’m starving.”

“Have a drink before you get back on the ice.” Hide-Zou handed Tsunehito his water bottle. The redhead gulped down some water then capped the bottle, turning away. As he got into position on the ice his coach started his music. Tsunehito was skating a different routine than the one he’d used at the Olympics so his coach had him working double time to ensure it was flawless. As far as Hide-Zou could tell, Tsunehito’s diligence had paid off. The routine looked perfect to him although, as the practice session wore on, he could see the toll it was taking on Tsunehito’s body. He was tired and when he made mistakes, his coach pushed him to do better. The situation didn’t seem ideal but what did Hide-Zou know? He was a musician not an athlete. Still, he was a little worried that Tsunehito would be too exhausted to do anything after practice. He got up off the bench and crossed his forearms over the gate, watching his lover closely. This was an ambitious routine with a quadruple axel in the beginning and a series of triple jumps at the end. Complicated components that would earn Tsunehito more points if they were executed well. And if the judge didn’t have a stick up his ass. The scoring could be so absurd sometimes that it made Hide-Zou want to tear his hair out.

The music echoed throughout the rink, punctuated by Tsunehito’s blades slicing across the ice. His coach and Hide-Zou had their eyes fixed on the redhead as they watched him skate through the components of his routine. Everything seemed to be going flawlessly until Tsunehito reached the triple jumps. He landed the first one perfectly but there was something… off about his form as he moved into the second. Biting his lip, Hide-Zou’s hand moved to push the gate open. He knew his lover was going to fall unless, by some miracle, Tsunehito fought to pull through his jump.

He closed his eyes in sympathy when Tsunehito hit the ice. The redhead cursed as he rubbed his side and hip then struggled to his feet. Hide-Zou saw his body tense and how he instantly lifted the left skate off the ice. Shit, had Tsunehito put too much stress on his ankle during the rigorous practice session? He tightened his grip on the gate as he fought the urge to join Tsunehito on the ice to make sure he was all right. Doing so would only irritate Tsunehito and cause Hide-Zou to fall on his ass since he didn’t have skates and could only dream of his lover’s ballerina-like grace on the ice.

“Tsune?” Hide-Zou called, knowing that was all he could do. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Maybe you should stop for tonight.”

That earned him a dark look from both Tsunehito and his coach. No surprise since the latter never wanted him to sit in on practice sessions. Hide-Zou sighed as he let his hand drop from the gate. So much for that idea. Tsunehito could be so stubborn sometimes. And he hated to make mistakes. That he’d made one so near the end of a nearly flawless routine was unforgiveable in Tsunehito’s eyes. He wouldn’t leave the ice until he’d executed a perfect routine.

Sighing again, Hide-Zou settled back down on the bench to wait. This time as Tsunehito skated through the routine again Hide-Zou’s eyes remained fixed on his lower legs to see if there was any wobble, any visible signs of strain. With a competition in six days Tsunehito couldn’t afford an injury.

He needed to be careful.

 

Hide-Zou spared his lover an interrogation about his ankle until they were at the restaurant. With drinks in hand (water for Tsunehito, Coke for Hide-Zou) and meals ordered, it was a perfect time to talk while they waited for their food to arrive.

“So about your practice,” Hide-Zou began, pouting when Tsunehito raised his gaze from his glass to give him a dirty look. “Hey, don’t look at me like that!” he protested as he reached over to grab Tsunehito’s hand. “I’m just worried about you, okay?”

“I know you are,” Tsunehito sighed. “But you don’t need to fuss over me. I fell once and the only reason I did is because I was tired.”

“Tiredness can’t explain why you lifted your left skate off the ice like your foot had been burned,” Hide-Zou retorted. “I watched your legs for the rest of your routine. Especially your left one.”

“Thinking about my legs wrapped around you?”

Hide-Zou flushed. Little brat, trying to distract him with pleasant memories of those very flexible and beautiful legs wrapped around him. Or hooked over his shoulders… he took a sip of his Coke to distract himself from the visuals. “No, you little pervert. I was watching your legs to see if you would stumble again. And you know what I saw?”

Tsunehito drew his hand back, nervously tapping his nails against his plate. “What did you see?”

“I saw you favoring your left leg.”

Tsunehito brushed his still-damp hair back behind his ear. “My leg is okay, Zou. Like I said… I fell because I was tired. As you recall, I fell on my left side so if I was favoring my left leg that’s the reason. Anyway, I’m going to take a bath tonight so I can really soak my muscles and I’ll be sure to take some extra breaks during tomorrow’s practice session.” He gave Hide-Zou a gentle smile then leaned forward. “Now please, stop fussing about my leg. We’re on a date. And,” the smile changed into a wicked smirk, “my parents have no objection to me staying the night at your apartment on Wednesday.”

Hide-Zou knew this was a deliberate trick to lead him off topic. He decided to play along—for now. “Oh did they?” he trailed his fingers down the redhead’s arm. “I’m guessing you want to do something besides eat pizza and watch vampire movies?” He smiled playfully as he nudged Tsunehito’s leg. The redhead’s parents and coach were more conservative and thus oblivious to their true relationship. Hide-Zou’s parents knew and, to his gratitude, weren’t upset that he had a _boy_ friend.

_“Aw, you two are cute together!”_ his mother had squealed when he’d introduced Tsunehito as his boyfriend. _“I don’t care that you’re dating a boy. Treat him well and make sure he’s happy.”_

His father had looked them over then snorted. _“Well, at least I don't have to worry about you getting him pregnant.”_ For some reason he had a phobia of Hide-Zou getting a girl pregnant while they were teenagers.

He wasn’t sure what was more entertaining—his father’s words or the stunned look on Tsunehito’s face. His expression had been priceless.

The redhead smiled coyly. “I did have other plans in mind. Something you would find far more… memorable.” He leaned closer, sliding his hand into Hide-Zou’s. “Do you remember the black and red skating dress I wore for you last month?”

Hide-Zou swallowed. The redhead’s slender body clothed in that gorgeous dress was something he wouldn’t be able to forget anytime soon. The short red skirt showing off those gorgeous legs, chest-hugging black and red bodice… “I remember.”

“Well I have another dress to wear for you.”

Just picturing what Tsunehito would wear for him made Hide-Zou impatient for Wednesday. He watched the redhead sip his drink then tapped his left foot with his shoe. “Tell me more about your ankle.”

“My ankle is fine,” Tsunehito insisted. “If it bothers me tomorrow you’ll be the first to know, okay? Now drink your Coke, think of me in a dress, and stop fussing over me.”

Reluctantly, Hide-Zou let the topic go. “All right.”

*   *   *

By the time Wednesday rolled around, all traces of ankle discomfort had vanished. Tsunehito reassured Hide-Zou that he was being careful, taking breaks when he needed them, and made sure to soak in the bathtub after his practice sessions. Confident that his lover was feeling better, Hide-Zou was able to put his worries aside and thoroughly enjoy their Wednesday date. An additional bonus was getting to spend Thursday night with Tsunehito.

_“Since the competition is on Friday and you help me relax, my parents said I can stay with you on Thursday night.”_

_“Do I need to help you… relax?”_ Hide-Zou had purred, making the word as suggestive as possible.

A smirking Tsunehito had made it clear that _relaxation_ was something he was greatly in need of. Hide-Zou closed his eyes as he remembered the events of Wednesday night, looking forward to similar celebrations tonight. He pulled himself back into the present as he headed into the skating rink. He could have waited at home but had decided to pick Tsunehito up from the rink. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t too stressed about tomorrow’s competition and that there was nothing amiss with his ankle. Hide-Zou brushed his hair back as he walked down the stairs to get to the ice rink. Tsunehito was standing by the far wall, hands on the barrier as he talked to his coach. Hopefully she only had good things to tell him. Hide-Zou hadn’t been present for this practice session but he knew what his skater was capable of.

Pushing his hands into his pants pockets, Hide-Zou rocked back on his heels as he waited for Tsunehito to finish his conversation. The redhead turned away from his coach a few minutes later then started as he saw Hide-Zou so close to the ice. “Hey, what are you doing here?” Tsunehito asked as he skated over to him.

“Decided I’d pick you up from the rink. How was practice?”

“Tiring,” Tsunehito replied as he rolled his shoulders. He wore the same training clothes as last time and looked in a similar state. Hair slicked back with sweat, face flushed, and breathless.

Hide-Zou eyed his lover. “Want to shower at the rink or wait until later?”

Tsunehito fixed him with a smirk. “Better idea. Why don’t we shower together?”

Hide-Zou grinned. “I like that thought.” He opened the gate so Tsunehito could come inside. The redhead stepped off the ice then settled onto the bench so he could unlace his skates. The smile faded from Hide-Zou’s face as he watched Tsunehito struggling to get the left skate off. Earlier there’d been no indication that his ankle was bothering him. What was different now? Had the practice been too much? “Tsune,” Hide-Zou laid his hand on the redhead’s shoulder. “What’s wrong with your left foot?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my ankle.” Tsunehito kept his head down as he loosened the laces further then started to pull the skate off. His fingers froze on the leather as he let out a hiss of pain.

Hide-Zou moved to stand in front of his lover. “Tsune.” He cupped the redhead’s face, forcing him to raise his head and look at him. “How long has your ankle been bothering you? Please don’t lie. I’ve always tried to be the one person you can go to when you need to talk about something.”

The redhead bit his lip. For a moment, Hide-Zou wasn’t sure if he would say anything. Then he sighed. “The aches are sporadic,” he said. “It started to bother me the last time you watched me practice. I thought it was because I was tired from the practice and after I took a bath, iced my ankle, and relaxed it seemed fine. The pains keep coming back in practice even though I take breaks when it bothers me!” he added when Hide-Zou opened his mouth to speak, “it’s just…” he sighed and drew back, ducking his head to hide beneath a curtain of hair. “The long practice sessions are making it worse.”

Hide-Zou knelt in front of his lover. He carefully eased the skate off of Tsunehito’s foot, wincing in sympathy as that earned him another hiss of pain. “I was afraid you’d say that. Have you told your coach?” He didn’t like the woman but her job was to train Tsunehito and ensure she was ready for competitions. As a former competitive skater herself, she would know what Tsunehito should do to take care of his ankle. Or would she? Just like Tsunehito’s parents, his coach seemed as if she wanted him to spend his life on the ice. Forget having a life outside of figure skating! Hide-Zou still considered it a miracle that Tsunehito’s parents allowed him to spend nights with him and seemed to have accepted him as a part of their son’s life.

The redhead sighed softly. “I haven’t told anyone but you.”

“Why not?” Hide-Zou protested. “All three used to be professional figure skaters! They’ll know how to help you whereas all I can think of is to tell you to take a break from skating Which I won’t say.” Asking Tsunehito to hang up his skates would be like asking Hide-Zou to hang up his guitar. Neither of them could or would do it.

“Because I’m afraid,” Tsunehito snapped, meekness replaced by his usual fire. “Imagine your wrist hurting when you’re playing guitar. Your wrist feels better when you stop playing but when you pick up your guitar and play later, your wrist starts to bother you again. You wonder what’s going on, why your wrist would bother you now since you’ve been playing guitar for years and you know when to pace yourself. You know you should talk to someone—another guitarist or swallow your fear and go to the doctor— _but you’re too afraid of what they’ll say_. What if my ankle is fucked up and I won’t be able to skate for a while?” Tsunehito took a shuddering breath as he closed his eyes. “I need to win this competition, Zou. I’m not going to let my ankle jeopardize my chances of winning. So as soon as I’ve skated my part tomorrow, I’ll tell my coach and my parents that my ankle is bothering me. We’ll go to the doctor and find out what’s going on with me but I’ll at least have skated a perfect routine.”

Hide-Zou glowered as he got to his feet. He could understand the comparison to his guitar, the fears that he wouldn’t be able to play for a while depending on the doctor’s verdict. What he couldn’t understand was why Tsunehito was determined to push himself to compete tomorrow. “You’re sounding like a robot programmed by your coach and your parents. How many times do I have to tell you that you’ll always be a champion, Tsune?”

The redhead averted his eyes. “…I need to win this, Zou. You know how much I still wish I’d won the gold medal at the Olympics.”

Hide-Zou raked his fingers through his hair. No matter how hard he tried to convince Tsunehito that he didn’t need a gold medal to be successful he couldn’t get through the layers of brainwashing. “Okay, fine. You need to win this to make yourself believe that you are successful. But what are you going to do if you end up hurting your ankle because you’re too stubborn to get it checked out in time? And how can you possibly expect to skate a perfect routine if you aren’t taking care of your body?” He watched his lover, waiting for a response, but Tsunehito just bit his lip and bowed his head again.

Sighing, Hide-Zou picked up Tsunehito’s skates. “Let’s just get out of here. We’ll go back to my place, you’ll sit your very nice ass on my couch, and you aren’t allowed to move or strain your ankle. Okay?”

Tsunehito gave him a faint smile. “I thought we were going to shower together. Unless you want me to sweat on your couch?”

“…We can take a bath. Then you have to lie down.”

“I can’t even get up to pick a vampire movie?”

Hide-Zou’s lips twitched as he tried to hold back his smile. “Maybe I’ll be able to make an exception for that. Should I call for pizza after our bath?”

“You should. Maybe after our pizza, I could put my legs in your lap and you can ice them.”

That sounded good. And Hide-Zou could make sure his lover was taking it easy. “We’ll do that.”

Tsunehito hesitated then reached for Hide-Zou. “Help me up?”

The brunette took Tsunehito’s offered hand and helped him to his feet. “Promise me you’ll be careful,” he said softly. “I know I’d be miserable if I there was something wrong with my wrist and I couldn’t play guitar.” He had a life outside of music though. Tsunehito rarely had the chance to live outside of figure skating. If Tsunehito couldn’t skate… Hide-Zou didn’t want to complete that thought.

“I’ll be as careful as I can.”

Hide-Zou sighed softly. He knew that was the best he was going to get. “Just take care of yourself, okay? I don't want my boyfriend ending up miserable and on crutches.”

Tsunehito grimaced at the thought. “Like I said, I’ll be as careful as I can. But I still need to win tomorrow.”

 

Hide-Zou kissed the top of Tsunehito’s head. “You’re too stubborn for your own good sometimes.”

“You like me anyway.”

Hide-Zou couldn’t deny that.

*   *   *

Biting his lip, Hide-Zou watched Tsunehito take the ice. He was so worried that this competition and the redhead’s insistence that he needed to win to feel like he was worthwhile would end in disaster. He couldn’t just force Tsunehito not to skate though. That would be like the redhead dragging him off the stage minutes before a live was about to begin.

“You look tense,” Tsunehito’s mother said, giving him a brief glance. Hide-Zou hadn’t known whether to be pleased or alarmed when she provided him a ticket to the competition and asked him to watch the skaters with her. “Do you doubt him?”

“Oh, definitely not. It’s just…” Hide-Zou sighed. “It’s always a little hard to watch him skate. Worrying he’ll somehow fall or make a mistake.”

Tsunehito’s mother laughed softly. “I can understand that. But he’s too good to make mistakes.”

Hide-Zou could only hope she was right. He focused on his lover, smiling a little as he saw him in a blue and grey skating costume instead of his trademark black and crimson. New routine, new music, new costume. Tsunehito had been adamant about having a new image to present to the public for this competition. He shifted on the bench as he watched Tsunehito get in position. If he fell, if something happened to his ankle… Hide-Zou found himself biting his lip again as he visualized Tsunehito on crutches, left ankle encased in a cast. Both of them knew that was an option if Tsunehito was too reckless with his ankle. He let out the breath he hadn’t known he was holding when the music started and Tsunehito began to skate. From the corner of his eye, he saw the redhead’s mother leaning closer. Hide-Zou focused solely on Tsunehito as he watched him skate through the first components of his routine. His skating was graceful and flawless as always. Hide-Zou bit his lip again as he watched Tsunehito preparing for the quadruple axel. This one involved a landing on the left skate… yes, he’d made it! The landing seemed fine to Hide-Zou and he watched as Tsunehito quickly switched his dominant foot and pulled his left ankle up into a spin.

“Something’s wrong,” his mother said, frowning.

Hide-Zou spared her a glance. “What do you mean?”

“The way he landed his quad axel. It lacked his usual poise and the way he switched his feet was messy. He’s done that since he was four; he knows how to do that move.”

_Fuck._ Hide-Zou curled his fingers into fists, nails digging into his palms. He said nothing as he watched his spinning lover. Tsunehito came out of the spin and skated away on his left skate. Hide-Zou cringed as he saw his lover wobble. Shit. How could he make the triple jumps at the end of the routine? Worse, would he even make it through the remaining minutes of his routine? He was already unsteady on his skates. Resisting the urge to bury his face in his hands, Hide-Zou watched his lover jump and twirl through the next components of his routine while Tsunehito’s mother kept up a steady commentary. Hide-Zou was disgusted to hear that she was worried more about Tsunehito’s score and how a poor performance would affect his sponsors than she was about his health. Angrily, he focused on his lover then swallowed nervously. The triple jumps. If Tsunehito made it through these then there was one more spin and then his routine was done. The first jump required him to land on the left skate, just like the quadruple axel. With baited breath Hide-Zou waited to see if his lover would make it. The take off was perfect and he spun three times for his triple axel. Now for the… Hide-Zou winced as the left leg gave out and sent Tsunehito crashing to the ice. He stayed there only a moment before he was up on his feet again, determined to finish his routine. Tsunehito never got the chance. The moment his left skate touched the ice, it slipped out from under him and he fell a second time. He didn’t get up, instead raising his hands and clasping them together as an apology to indicate that he wouldn’t be able to complete the routine.

“It’s his ankle,” Hide-Zou said as he shot to his feet. He rushed to meet Tsunehito’s coach at the gate, closely followed by his mother. A paramedic was already on the ice and helped Tsunehito stand so he could escort him off the ice.

The next events blurred together. Hide-Zou remembered carrying Tsunehito out to his mother’s car. Slender fingers gripping his shirt tightly as the redhead trembled in his arms, hissing in pain every so often. Holding him tightly in the car as he tried to reassure Tsunehito that everything was okay. That he’d be fine. Even though the words were a lie. Then they were at the hospital where Hide-Zou had to surrender Tsunehito to a doctor while his mother filled out paperwork. Sitting in the waiting room with Tsunehito’s mother and coach. They two women anxiously discussed ankle injuries, how Tsunehito could be out for the rest of the season, would he lose sponsors if he couldn’t skate, what he’d have to do to prepare for the next season… Hide-Zou was too furious with how they didn’t seem to fucking _care_ that Tsunehito was upset and in pain to speak to them. He sat with his arms crossed, glaring at his shoes or waiting for a doctor to emerge and call the group over to talk about Tsunehito. To let them see him and know what was wrong with his ankle. As the minutes dragged on he felt the urge to yell at the insensitive harpies more and more but he kept his mouth shut, digging his nails into the fabric of the chair.

Just when Hide-Zou could feel the last thread of his patience snapping, the door opened to reveal a doctor carrying a clipboard. He checked the clipboard then glanced up at the various people in the waiting room. “Is Tsunehito’s family here?”

“Tsune!” His mother shot out of her chair, closely followed by the coach and Hide-Zou. “What happened to my son? Where is he?”

“He’s in room eleven.” The doctor didn’t answer the first question. He led them down a hallway then opened the door to a patient room. Hide-Zou sucked in a breath as he saw Tsunehito, still in his skating costume, sitting in a chair. There were tear tracks on his face which hurt as much as seeing his left foot firmly encased in a cast. Crutches were propped against his chair.

“His ankle is broken,” the doctor said to the group. “He’ll have to wear the cast for six to eight weeks and then do physical therapy. Once the cast is off, Tsunehito will be able to do light workouts but he shouldn’t skate for at least five months. And even when he can skate again he’ll have to ease back into professional skating. Jumps and spins could damage his ankle if he doesn’t take the time to take care of himself.”

“No skating for five months?” Tsunehito’s coach protested.

Hide-Zou didn’t care what the harpies were saying. He rushed over to his miserable lover and immediately drew him into an embrace, pressing Tsunehito close as he buried his face in soft red hair. Hide-Zou felt the redhead start to tremble again as he threw his arms around Hide-Zou and clung to him.

“You were right,” Tsunehito whispered, voice choked. “I-I should have been more careful. I shouldn’t have let everyone push me to win at the sake of my health.” He sniffed, fingers curling into Hide-Zou’s shirt. “Now I’m nothing. A cripple. I can’t skate with my leg like this so who am I?” he raised his head to look at Hide-Zou, eyes over bright with tears.

Hide-Zou spared a brief glance at the harpies to see them talking to the doctor about physical therapy. They weren’t even _looking_ at the young lovers. Fucking harpies indeed… they didn’t give a damn about how miserable Tsunehito was. “You’re my lover,” he said softly, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I’ll help you figure out how you can pass the time while you’re recovering. And help you discover who you are when you’re not skating.” He gave his lover a determined smile. “We’ll get through this together, okay? I promise.”

Tsunehito pressed his face into Hide-Zou’s shirt instead of verbally responding. Hide-Zou could feel the devastation radiating off his lover, feel the way his dreams for the skating season and a chance to prove he was a champion even without a gold medal shattered like glass.

There wouldn’t be any competitions for a while. Nothing but crutches and weeks of waiting, waiting, waiting until he could get back on the ice again.

_And me,_ Hide-Zou thought. He didn’t make promises unless he knew he could keep them. He would be there for Tsunehito in every way he could be.

**Notes**  
1) At first, I planned to show how Hide-Zou is looking after Tsunehito while his ankle is injured. How they're playing their bass and guitar together, getting closer. And then the ultimate drama when Tsunehito's parents find out their son has a boyfriend. I decided that writing that would just take too much time and since I didn't put a concrete end to Asagi's memories, I thought it fit to do the same with Tsunehito's. You'll find out more about his life once he's an adult.  
2) Now that the skating series is over, it's back to vampires. The next mini-series (When Nightmares Become Reality) will focus on Tsunehito as an adult. Asagi and Ruiza will be introduced during the first chapter and that series is very vampire centric.  
3) I'm taking a break from fanfiction though so I can work on my novel. I wanted to work on planning and see if I can get a start on the revisions. This will give me a chance to figure out my start for When Nightmares Become Reality too.


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